


Days Out

by PurpleArrowzandLeather



Series: Kings and Queens of Hearts [6]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Cayde is in a good mood, F/M, I became amused, Kayleigh isn't prime babysitting material, Neither is Uldren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-23 02:03:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17071388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleArrowzandLeather/pseuds/PurpleArrowzandLeather
Summary: Cayde and Hawthorne take a trip, slipping out from under Zavala's careful watch with the help of their two favorite compatriots. Said compatriots explore somethimg new.





	Days Out

**Author's Note:**

> It's time for a little bit of alone time for tired parents. What it takes to get off-world is unprecedented.

          Cayde and Suraya are chatting underneath the shadow of Kayleigh's ship. She just flew in a little over an hour ago to get a bite to eat. They've come up with a marvelous plan to get Cayde out of the Tower, but they'll need a little help to do it. And a favor.

          Kayleigh skips down the stairs two at a time, Uldren at her heels. "Hey! What are you guys up to?"

          Cayde turns, smiling at her and sending a friendly wave in Uldren's direction. "Keep your voice down and get over here."

          Kayleigh looks around and joins them under the ship. Uldren ducks a little, his hand coming up to ensure that he clears it. He pulls his hood down, golden eyes glowing with inquisitive light. Kayleigh looks almost gleeful at the prospect of something going on. 

          "So, Hawthorne an' I came up with a plan. I gotta get out of here for a little while or I'm gonna go insane and I need your help."

          Hawthorne chuckles, wrapping an arm around his waist. "He's getting a little stir-crazy, and since he has good help around these days, he's trying to slip the leash a little bit."

          Cayde slings an arm across her shoulders, laughing. "Okay, yeah. That's a better way to put it."

          Kayleigh grins and Uldren rolls his eyes.  _Now we're in for it._

          "So, what we're gonna do is give Zavala the run-around. I need you two to make the biggest scene ever."

          Uldren raises a brow. "I don't do scenes."

          Kayleigh snickers.

          Uldren gives her a warning look that makes Cayde wonder. Still, he plows right on, continuing to tell them all about his master plan to get him out of the Tower for a day. Kayleigh looks very interested, her hands clasped together as she bounces on her toes a little bit. Uldren, on the other hand, looks like he would rather be doing something else. Cayde knows he's paying attention, though. 

          Uldren only gets interested after the part where Cayde involves the explosions part of the distraction. 

          After they have it all laid out, Cayde and Hawthorne walk the two upstairs. They stand together up on the balcony overlooking the Tower while Kayleigh and Uldren get started. 

          Cayde blinks when Kayleigh socks Uldren right in the jaw. His body twists with the hit and he hits the ground. Kayleigh shakes her hand. 

          "You're lucky you have such a hard head!" She snaps. 

          Uldren rubs his face, his upper lip split. He hisses his response, climbing back to his feet. "Speak for yourself!"

          Cayde hears Zavala sigh and mutter under his breath. " _Here we go again._ "

          Uldren gets loud fast and Cayde is honestly impressed by his acting skills, but he supposes there have to be some things out there that can still surprise him. Kayleigh yells right back at him, spouting some nonsense about him stealing the last of her breakfast cereal or some such. Uldren proclaims that he doesn't feel guilty and Kayleigh scowls deeply at him. Zavala puts his clipboard down on the edge of the railing, rubbing a hand down his face. They get into a brutal fist fight, which Cayde isn't exactly sure is fair, but he's not going to question it. Judging by Zavala's reaction, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. 

          Hawthorne and Cayde sneak past the frame coming to attention near the landing pad. "Oh dear, oh dear. This does not end well!" 

          Cayde turns just in time to see Uldren throwing a small grenade at her. He and Hawthorne hop into his ship while everyone is trying to break the pair apart. She curses him out and Uldren growls back his answer as Cayde closes the hatch. 

* * *

 

          Kayleigh feels a little bad about the busted lip. She hadn't meant to hit him that hard, but these things happen.  

          Just as Cayde and Hawthorne make their escape, Kayleigh wallops him a good one. Zavala approaches as Uldren hits the ground, spitting out blood. He staggers a little in his attempt to get up, and Kayleigh is afraid for a second that she actually might have hurt him. The glint in his eyes reassures her.

          "If you were just a little less stubb-" Uldren ducks as she swings over his head. 

          "Guardian!" Zavala snaps.

          Uldren spits out a little more blood, catching her next fist. She struggles against him, lifting a leg to kick him away. He gasps out a breath, keeping ahold of her hand. He jerks her close to his front, snagging her other wrist and holding them with one hand.

          "Let go of me!" 

          Uldren tilts his head, an almost indulgent smile on his face as he stares down at her. "No."

          She stops fighting him, her expression hardening. "Did you just tell me  _no_?"

          Uldren's lips quirk up and he chuckles. "I did."

          Zavala tries to intervene, but another Hunter holds him back. "Just wait. They'll sort it out, like always."

          "He isn't like us!" Zavala answers, completely missing the fact that they are _far_ past trying to kill each other now. "She could seriously injure him."

          Uldren feels more than hears her breath catch and his smile grows. Even so, she's braver than he is, tipping her head back to stare him directly in the eyes. She's daring him. Even after months, she is still by his side, and now she is  _daring_ him to do something.

          Uldren accepts, though his next movement is cautious. He leans down and presses a chaste kiss on her lips. He pulls back, looking for any signs of rejection. She is just as surprised as he is.

          Uldren wipes a little blood from her mouth where his split lip touched and she pulls his fingers away. She opens her mouth to speak, but doesn't get the chance to say anything before people start to clap. Uldren looks around, his eyes flicking from person to person out of nerves. Kayleigh can tell that he's embarrassed, but he won't say anything about it because of his pride. 

          The Hunter huffs, heavily slapping Zavala's back. "Told you so."

          Kayleigh lets a tentative smile cross her face. "Let's go get you patched up, okay?"

          Uldren swallows, nodding. Kayleigh leads him away, headed for the medical bay and then quickly on to her quarters. Uldren settles onto her couch obediently when she asks. She dabs at his lip with a cloth, wincing as he does. 

          "Sorry."

          "I've had worse."

          Kayleigh shakes her head as Uldren rubs at the tender portion of his ribs. "Would you like some ice?"

          Uldren's lips press into a thin line and he makes a small noise. "I'm fine."

          "Suit yourself." Kayleigh murmurs, wiping blood from a split on his cheekbone. 

          Kayleigh won't meet his eyes, and he starts to second-guess himself.  _Did I push her away? Was I too forward? No, she... she isn't that easy to scare off._ Uldren makes another noise, this one discontented. 

          "Sorry."

          "No, it's... you don't need to apologize. I- " he drops his gaze to his clasped hands. "It should be me who is apologizing."

          "What for?"

          Uldren looks up at her. "I didn't, um, I shouldn't have- "

          Kayleigh smiles warmly at him. "I think if that's what you're worried about, you shouldn't be."

          Uldrens golden eyes stare up at her, his desperation to believe her evident. Her heart breaks a little as she realizes that he doesn't think he deserves it. Doesn't think that anyone could, or even should, want him. Kayleigh feels a spark of determination urging her to remedy that line of thinking. 

         She tips his chin up towards her with two gloved fingers and leans closer to his face. She doesn't want to see his disbelief, so she closes her eyes. She hesitates just over his lips and she waits for him to close the distance. When it appears his isn't brave enough yet again, she moves. 

          Uldren's response is immediate. He brings his hands up to the side of her face, his fingers gentle as they could possibly be. She takes his left hand, twining her fingers with his. She pulls back, looking him in the eyes. 

          "Don't you ever assume that I would leave you alone, Uldren Sov. You were mine the moment you kidnapped me."

          He opens his mouth, but Kayleigh isn't having it, shutting him up with another kiss, this one a little rougher to let him know that she means it. He laughs into it and she grins, cupping the side of his face with one hand.

          The only thing that makes her pull back is the sudden coppery tang that meets her mouth. Kayleigh pretends that she doesn't notice the gleam in his eyes, resuming her efforts in cleaning him up. 

          "Now, you know the plan. Ikora is going to bring Akaiya over in a couple of hours. You might want to catch a nap before then. I know how much Akaiya tires you out."

          Uldren chuckles. "No she doesn't."

          She gives him a look and he sighs, dipping his head a little bit. He closes his eyes, letting Kayleigh continue her work in silence. His heartbeat is strong across his skin, even in his idle state. 

          Kayleigh isn't one for indecision, since usually her boldness works well for her. That is why she carefully cards her fingers through his hair as she treats the cut crossing his left eyebrow. He relaxes a little, but otherwise doesn't move. 

          She moves away from him to wash her hands in the sink, rinsing his blood from her knuckles. A pang of regret hits her, but she doesn't find herself feeling too guilty. Uldren didn't seem to mind too much. The water runs over her fingers, but she can't even feel the heat. She's much too focused on what possessed her to challenge him in the first place. _He wouldn't have made a move if I hadn't._

          Shaking her head at herself, she dries her hands and heads out to her living room again. Uldren is already laid out on the couch, his cloak draped over him like a blanket. Kayleigh pulls the throw free from her reading chair and settles it over him. He murmurs his gratitude, catching her fingertips as she walks by. She gently squeezes his fingers in return before walking away. Grabbing another blanket from her bedroom, she settles down into her chair and pulls out a book. 

          There's a quiet knocking on the door sometime later as Ikora drops by. Uldren doesn't stir and Kayleigh finds herself grateful for it. She opens the door, putting a finger to her lips when Akaiya grins. She ducks her head, peering inside and seeing Uldren on the couch. 

          Kayleigh thanks Ikora and Ikora only smiles at her, the look bemused. "You two take care of yourselves."

          "We will."

          When Kayleigh turns around, Akaiya is sitting in front of the couch on a throw pillow that had fallen to the ground. She already has a coloring book in her hands and the crayons that she loves so much scattered around her. Kayleigh sits back down in her chair. When Akaiya wants to do something else, she'll let her know. She has no idea how Hawthorne raised her to be so well-behaved, but it is most definitely preferred to the usual manner of children who run around the Tower. Uldren's hand slides off the couch and Akaiya looks at it. Kayleigh is definitely glad Uldren is a stomach-sleeper, because he would be awfully uncomfortable after what Akaiya does in response.

          She takes his hand in hers, coloring with the other and holding the book still with her foot. Kayleigh nearly dies because of how hard she's trying to not coo at her. She has Jake take a picture. Whether for good memories or blackmail material, it'll be great for something one day. 

          Akaiya seems perfectly content to keep coloring, Uldren's bowl-sized hand loosely gripped in her tiny one. She manages to fill in the entire Crota section of the book while Uldren sleeps. 

* * *

 

          Cayde and Hawthorne break atmo within a minute, heading out into the 'verse as if the Darkness itself were on their heels. 

          "So, where do you want to go?"

          "I was thinkin' Nessus."

          "Didn't you get into a good amount of trouble last time you went to Nessus?"

          Cayde looks up at her from where he's steering. "Yeah, I did, didn't I? That's what makes it so much fun."

          She wraps her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head against his. "Yes, I suppose so. You got a location in mind?"

          "Actually, I do. It's a Fallen, Cabal, and Vex free environment."

          Hawthorne chuckles. "How high up is it, and is the view good?"

          "For that, Whiskey, you're gonna have to wait and see. And I would at least hope that with me being part of the view, it would be decent?"

          "Whatever helps you sleep at night." Saruya hums. 

          Cayde turns his head and presses an Exo's kiss to her cheek. "You do."

          Hawthorne chuckles, continuing to hang over his shoulders until they reach Nessus safely. He has Wash transmat them down right underneath the ship as he swoops in over the top of the location. 

          "You're sure the air is breathable here?"

          "Hawthorne, I wouldn't have brought you if it wasn't." Cayde huffs, reassuring her. 

          She hops up onto his back as he opens the back hatch and he carries her into the trees. She notes that he never wavers in his navigation. 

          "Did you come here a lot before your Vanguard days?"

          Cayde makes a noise of affirmation. "It was, uh, actually Kayleigh, who found this place, I mean. It was right around the time we got her powers sorted out. She came here for the peace and quiet, brought me an' Andal along just to see what we would think."

          "Lasting impression, it looks like."

          Cayde hums, carefully stepping over a few fallen logs and hefting Hawthorne up a little higher on his back. She doesn't ask the inevitable question in their long trek, and she realizes that she doesn't have to. He climbs down into a ravine, jumping down once the footholds become impossible to stand on with her on his back. They wander lower, the light eventually being blocked out by a rocky ceiling. 

          She can tell the moment they arrive. Cayde's steps slow and he looks around, a smile on his face. 

          It's a cove. Light filters in through the thick canopy of trees, the coloration a deep red hue as it lands on the ground. The places where it shines through without interference look golden in comparison. It lands on mossy ground, smooth stone peeking out from underneath. Hawthorne looks around the cove, its width at least a hundred and fifty meters both ways. In the center, a crystal lake lies within shrub-covered banks. The shrubs are an intense cerulean color, red ferns hanging low over the water's edge nearby. 

          "It's beautiful." Hawthorne murmurs. 

          "Heh. You think this part's great? Just wait til you see where we're setting down."

          "You mean this isn't all of it?"

          Cayde only chuckles, the thumb of his left hand rubbing light circles onto her thigh. He carries her to the far edge of the cove, slipping into a gap between two rocks. The temperature drops, but it's not uncomfortable. The tunnel is dark for a little ways, but Cayde doesn't have any troubles seeing where he's going. He keeps moving until he reaches a small cavern. Hawthorne is still pretty much blind, but Cayde taps at her thigh again. 

          "All right. It's gonna get bright here in a second. Nothing too blinding, but it gets a bit carried away sometimes."

          "It?"

          Cayde chuckles again, stepping forwards. The ground under his boots lights up blue, following his steps. It produces enough light for her to see some sort of vines hanging down from the ceiling. In front of his feet is a large petal from a flower. Saruya can't see all of it, but she's willing to bet that Cayde can. Cayde pauses before stepping onto it.

          The blue color leaps from under his boots and up the walls. The vines light up and Hawthorne pokes at one of them. It rocks, liquid in the bottom sloshing. Cayde smiles, letting solar energy flow around his wrists. Deep orange flows from under his feet, mingling with the deep blue, but never blending with it. 

          "What is this place?"

          "This, milady Hawthorne, is the last surviving plant that is attuned to the Light. Its name is Brighid."

          Cayde lets Hawthorne down and the ground under her feet swirls an odd teal color. "What is that supposed to mean?"

          "You're from earth."

          "It's wonderful."

          Cayde smiles, pulling out a blanket and laying it out. "That's just its way of saying hello."

          The dark blue coloration fades, leaving behind only Hawthorne's teal and Cayde's orange. Even after Cayde steps off of the petal, the room still glows. Hawthorne is awe-struck enough that she doesn't remember to move until Cayde gently helps her sit. He settles down next to her, leaning back against the wall. It isn't long until she comes out of her reverie to kiss him. They takes things nice and slow, Cayde telling Wash to not take any transmissions unless the world is ending. For the first time in a long time, Cayde's full attention is on only Hawthorne, and hers is on him. She sighs, leaning heavily against his chest. He holds onto her as they lie together in the cave, enjoying the shifting colors around them. 

          They talk about many things, anywhere from Akaiya to the crazy stuff going on at the Watchtower. Hawthorne pulls Cayde's cloak from the rock nearby and uses it as a blanket. He smiles, his arm around her as he traces out shapes onto her skin. Her hands idly push at the muscles of his abdomen, the makeshift flesh sending pressure signals through his nervous system. 

          "I wonder if Zavala knows yet." Hawthorne muses. 

          Cayde hums. "Yeah. Me, too. I ain't that interested in findin' out by checkin' in or nothin', though."

          Hawthorne laughs, nestling as close as she can to his warmth. "I suppose we'll just have to see."

* * *

 

          Zavala is almost ready to turn in for the day when Ikora walks by. "Ikora? What are you doing?"

          Ikora raises a brow. "Can't I go for a stroll without being interrogated, Zavala?"

          "I was just curious. You don't usually turn in this early."

          "If you must know, I was dropping off Akaiya with Uldren and Kayleigh. It looked like Uldren was taking a much-needed nap." Ikora starts walking again and Zavala follows. 

          "Did you hear?"

          "About their fight? I did, yes."

          Zavala makes a noise of agreement. "It was odd, and... Uldren kissed her, when it was over."

          Ikora hums, the sound bemused. "Did he? I'm sure it must have been quite an argument."

          "It was over breakfast cereal."

          Ikora laughs, effectively startling Zavala. That is almost exactly what she would expect. "Those two."

          "Yes. It was quite strange."

          They walk down towards the hangar to collect their last member. Ikora reminds herself that she isn't supposed to know he's gone a few times before they round the corner. Zavala nears Cayde's post and looks around, the only evidence that he had been there at all today is the chicken feed on the ground. 

          Zavala looks around. "Where is Cayde?"

          "Perhaps he turned in as well?"

          He narrows his eyes. "Doubtful."

          Ikora shrugs. "I'm sure he had other places to be. He is a married man now and a father. He has other duties besides work." 

          Zavala sighs. "Isn't that a strange thought?"

          "What?"

          "Cayde. Married. With real responsibilities that he actually cares about."

          "Zavala." Ikora says, her tone almost scolding. "Cayde has always taken his responsibilities seriously. He just doesn't handle them the same way we do. He sees a problem and he fixes it, even if his methods are... unconventional. Now, though, these are the kinds of duty that most Guardians only dream of. Cayde is lucky, Zavala, and I'm not about to try to take that away. And neither should you."

          Zavala nods, a heavy sigh leaving him. He looks at Ikora for a long minute. "He's gone, isn't he?"

          Ikora chuckles, walking on into the elevator shaft to reach her room. "Now when did I ever say that?"

          Zavala stares at the elevator door long after she's gone before a deep laugh leaves him. "I should have known." He turns towards his quarters, his mind wandering back to Kayleigh and Uldren's fight. 

          Then it hits him. 

          "Oh, I really should have known."

**Author's Note:**

> I think after all he's been through, Cayde deserves a little TLC. Also, I drew a picture of Uldren and what his expression would be like as he's having one of his existential crises. It's wonderful. :D


End file.
